The Greatest Cool — Chapter 11

I picked up the glass recipient, holding it up close as I inspected the red liquid inside. A disappointed breath left through my nose a moment later. 

Another dud. 

I’ve tried combining this pantry sap with a bunch of things, though with little success so far. Alchemy worked throughout every single attempt, but any impressions it gave me were too vague to decipher, which could only mean that I kept using the wrong reagents. 

Well, whatever. Rome wasn’t built in one day. 

Giving the vial one last look, I dumped the funny looking liquid into the waste bucket next to my feet and set the used recipient aside. A renewed smile made its way on my face as I adjusted my lab-coat, gaze roaming across the table. 

Onto the next experiment. 

Pantry sap didn’t seem to react with any of the ingredients we had on hand, but there was one more thing I’d yet to try. 

I dug a hand in my pocket, coat billowing as I fished out that small jar with the secret ingredient, palming it in my hand like a magician about to pull his best trick. My eyes briefly flickered to the left, meeting the unimpressed gaze of my dear captain as she stood there on a chair like a silent sentinel. 

I didn’t want to test this with her around, just in case I’d end up spoiling the surprise, but that was turning out to be harder than I expected— 

“Still not going to tell me what you’re making?” Naaza spoke, her head propped lazily on her hand, and even though she looked like she might fall asleep any second, I’d spent enough time around her to catch that subtle, curious gleam lurking in her eyes. 

“I’ll tell you when it’s ready.” I flashed her a cheeky smile, and she straightened in her seat, mouth twitching with the ghost of a frown. 

A beat of silence bounced between us before Naaza gave a quiet huff. “Suit yourself.” 

The way she spoke though, her dry delivery and that almost imperceptible arch of her brow, stirred an old memory, unbidden. For a fleeting moment, her features blurred and softened, replaced by a gentler face wearing the same little frown. The witty reply got stuck in my throat, a bittersweet ache twisting inside me. 

Anna had always looked at me just like that whenever I teased her. 

Naaza shifted in her seat, and the mirage faded as quickly as it had come, the familiar lines of her face settling back into focus. An awkward note hung in the air as she straightened in her seat, her violet eyes piercing me with quiet intensity. 

“Should you be leaving the store unmanned?” I said the first thing that came to mind, gesturing with a thumb at the door, Naaza’s gaze briefly following it before she crossed her legs. 

“What?” she said, an affronted note in her tone. “Is my company not to your taste?” 

I almost fell for it, but I caught that faint, amused twitch at the corner of her lips and smirked back. “I’ll have you know that my tastes are quite varied.” 

“Could’ve fooled me, mister Amazon conqueror,” she said, and my smile turned a bit wooden. 

I knew she’d meant that in good humor, but a pang still twisted unpleasantly deep in my chest. I haven’t conquered any Amazons yet… 

“Okay, you have a point.” I pushed a quiet breath through my nose, fixing her with a dry look. “But that’s just preference. I’m perfectly capable of appreciating any flavor.” 

“I’ve noticed.” Naaza’s voice came out even drier than before, her bushy tail drawing my gaze briefly as it flicked to the side. 

When I looked back up, a perfect deadpan welcomed me. Which, fair, but it was hard not to stare when she tempted me like this. 

“What’s so fascinating about my tail?” 

I blinked at the sudden question, a beat of silence filling the room as my eyes strayed again briefly to her ass. I could wax poetic about monster girls and demi humans, but in times like these, less was best. 

“It’s a tail.” I spoke with as much gravitas as I could muster, gesturing with my hands to perfectly encapsulate the essence of the subject, only to earn a slight roll of her violet eyes. 

“Forget I asked.” 

Huh. Maybe I should’ve waxed poetic a bit after all. Women liked their compliments. 

“Joke aside, though, aren’t you worried that someone could slip in and steal stuff?” 

Naaza gave me a long, flat look, lips quirked just the tiniest bit in a way that made me feel silently judged. “In case you forgot, my hearing is much sharper than you’d think.” Her floppy ears twitched slightly to emphasize the point. “If anyone shows up, I’ll know.” 

I nodded along. Right. Dog ears and level two. Good thing that Miach wasn’t the type to bring home any women. Naaza might’ve gone full yandere long ago, and not in the fun way. 

Pushing away that chilling thought, I popped the cork off the secret ingredient jar and placed it on the workbench, the old chair groaning under my weight as I pulled it a little closer. 

Naaza’s gaze flickered to the recipient, her brow creasing ever so slightly. “Is that hair from a monster— 

Her ears suddenly twitched, and she paused, her eyes briefly flickering to the door. I cocked an eyebrow as she stood up, getting a dry look in return. 

“I’ll be back. Try not to blow anything up,” she said, and I flashed her a cheeky smile. 

“No promises.” 

Naaza didn’t even bat an eyelash at the joke. “You pay for anything you break.” 

“Fair.” 

Joke’s on her, though. Soon enough, we’d be raking in all that sweet money. I’d yet to check out the prices in the Entertainment District, but if everything went smoothly, I wouldn’t have to worry about affording a good time with the ladies of the night. 

An image surfaced to mind at the thought—dusky temptresses clad in skimpy clothes that left little to imagination, wearing sultry, inviting smiles on their lips, and with hungry gleams in their eyes. 

Aisha might be out of reach for a while, unless I figured out a way to shatter-proof my pelvis, but Lena and her Amazon friends also looked like a dream come true. All it needed was a bit more work. 

My gaze drifted absentmindedly while Naaza made her way across the room with the enthusiasm of a man walking to the gallows. She gave me one last pointed look as she stopped by the door, interrupting my fleeting daydream of chocolate paradise, before walking inside the store, the drawn-out creak of the old, rusty hinges filling the room. 

I straightened in my seat, rubbing my hands with a smirk. 

Time to cook. 

<<scene break>> 

My backpack hung heavily on my shoulders as I made my way through the busy street, scratching idly at the small patches of dried blood that peppered my forearms. Today’s trip to the murder pit restored some life to my dying wallet, so I made a quick stop at the Babel noob floor to buy some goodies. 

I’d ended up spending most of my hard-earned cash, but it was worth it. Over a week of constant, daily abuse had left my armor in a sorry state, and I’d rather keep my deck stacked every time I plunged deep inside dungeon-chan. 

Protection was important. 

A smile came to my face as I brushed my hand along the holster at my thigh. But not as important as prevention. The easiest way to avoid death in the dungeon was to kill whatever tried to murder you first. 

Strike first, strike fast, and double tap. A simple method that increased survival odds by over a hundred percent. Of course, style was also important, but that’s why I spent ten thousand on five throwing knives instead of buying a big slab of iron to flatten mobs with. 

Pancakes could wait. The cool shit I could pull with E-rank Dexterity and a handful of throwing knives, though… 

I slowed down, for a heartbeat hesitating as I took a glance over my shoulder, the tall spire in the distance tempting me like a siren’s call. Sadly, I had other things to do for the evening, so I smothered the urge and kept walking. 

A flicker of anticipation stirred in my stomach as the potato puff stall came into view, only to fade just as quickly when I saw the throng of people queued up in front. 

Ugh. Shitty rush hour… 

The smell of deliciously fried potatoes wafted to my nose, mouthwatering as I stood there, for a moment just watching the slowly moving queue. Part of me didn’t want to wait, but Naaza ate all the hashbrowns last night, and I needed my crunchy snacks to keep me going through the alchemy sessions. 

Shoulders drooping with a weary sigh, I made my mind and walked briskly to the end of the queue, counting the people ahead of me with a frown. Over a dozen. Great… 

As I scratched absentmindedly at my bloodstained arms, a girl joined the waiting line to my left, a sword at her hip and a small bag in hand. I spared her a brief, cursory glance, only to immediately do a double take. 

A lean figure covered partly in pristine, silver armor. Long, straight hair that curtained over her shoulders like spun gold. And a pretty face that betrayed no emotion aside from a hungry, almost predatory gleam in her eyes as she looked at the food stall up ahead. 

Small world, huh? 

The queue moved forward by another person, and I closed the gap, stealing another glance at Aiz Wallenstein as she followed suit. This time though, amber eyes met my gaze, her sun-kissed hair shifting like flowing silk as she tilted her head slightly to the side. 

“Do I have blood on my clothes?” 

There was a beat of silence, her question hanging in the air as she studied me quietly, like a cat watching a mouse. 

“No,” I shook my head with a friendly smile, ignoring the chill that went up my spine. Level five…  “I just didn’t expect to meet the Sword Princess at the potato puff stand.” 

Aiz didn’t reply, the silence teetering on the awkward as she kept looking at me with that blank expression of hers. 

My smile turned a bit wooden. I wasn’t sure how to talk to this girl, but we both liked farming xp and hash-browns, so I could do some small talk to pass the time. 

“I like potato puffs,” she spoke, with a sort of finality that only driving the last nail in the coffin would bring. She didn’t say anything else, and I could only nod along at the profound piece of wisdom as we advanced a little closer to the hash-brown stall. 

“Potato puffs are great, aren’t they?” 

Aiz turned fully towards me, a curious flicker in her eyes as she gave an imperceptible nod. “The best.” 

This world seemed to have a severe lack of greasy, fast-food goodness, but these hash browns managed to fill that void in my heart. Somewhat. 

“What’s your favorite?” 

“Azuki. Yours?” 

I had no idea what that was, but maybe I could try it next time. 

“Cheese.” 

She nodded again. “Cheese is good.” 

A pang of hunger twisted in my stomach at the thought. A quick snack wouldn’t hurt. The constant delicious smells and talk about food worked up my appetite, and dinner was still a few hours away. 

“I like the meat ones, too, but only sometimes.” 

Ground beef didn’t go that well with strenuous exercise. Made me feel like I’d eaten a chunk of lead. 

“Too heavy.” 

I nodded along with a smile. “I like eating them for lunch when I’m in the dungeon. It gives me just enough energy to keep killing stuff for another few hours.” 

Aiz studied me for a moment, before giving a brief, quiet hum as the queue moved up by another person. She left it at that, but no words were needed, the understanding between us reaching a deeper level as we took a step forward, almost in sync. 

“They’re also pretty good to snack on before bed. Especially with a glass of milk.” 

Calories? I burned them like a furnace in the dungeon. I couldn’t get fat even if I tried stuffing my face like a pig. Food in this world was blander but ten times healthier than back in mine. 

“Azuki filling goes well with milk,” Aiz said, the briefest, annoyed twitch at the corner of her lips as her gaze flickered once again towards the promised land. 

Perfectly understandable. Waiting in long queues was pain. 

But she got me kinda curious about this Azuki thing. 

“Is it sweet or sour?” 

Amber eyes shifted back to me at the question, blinking twice as Aiz regarded me for a quiet moment, her brow creased ever so slightly. 

“You never tried Azuki?” 

That had to be the biggest reaction I’d gotten out of her so far. Was Aiz a foodie? 

I shrugged, smile turning a little sheepish around the edges. “Guess I stuck with what I knew.” 

“You should try it. It’s sweet, but not too much. It’s really good.” 

Alright. I’d trust her on that one. “I’ll take one home to eat for dessert.” 

“Good choice,” she said, and it could’ve been my imagination, but the ghost of a smile briefly crossed her face. Cute. 

Aiz Wallenstein… 

I could see why people complained about her anime portrayal. She might not be the most outspoken and expressive of girls, but she was pretty easy-going. The thousand-yard staring might put some people off, but I’ve seen weirder. 

“What’s your name?” she asked, that curious gleam flashing again across her face. 

“Jack, Miach Familia. Nice to meet you.” 

Aiz gave a short nod, her gaze suddenly snapping up ahead after a moment as the last person standing between us and the food stall had just walked away, bag in hand. 

She gave me a brief, meaningful look, her eyes flickering back to the guy manning the stand as she watched him like a hawk. “Ladies first.” 

I couldn’t help it. A quiet, amused huff escaped me as I gestured politely with a hand. “Of course.” 

And people called her lame and boring back home. This girl could nail that deadpan humor like a British, even if she probably wasn’t doing it on purpose. 

<<scene break>> 

Syr placed the food plates on the table with a practiced smile, giggling at yet another bland compliment before leaving the rowdy trio of adventurers with the same excuse. 

The Hostess was full of people as usual, so it wasn’t even a lie. 

As she made her way back to the front, her gaze wandered once again to the door, the smile slipping off her face. 

It has been a while since Jack last visited. He’d been busy lately with his little potion experiments, so much that he even began spending less and less time in the dungeon. 

A frown pulled at her lips as she picked up some empty mugs on her way back to the kitchen. 

He’d better not forget about his promise after all that grand talk, or she might have to remind him one way or another. 

“Next order is ready in two~” May’s chipper voice came from deeper inside the room, and Syr chirped out a cheerful “Okay!” before dropping the mugs in the sink. 

As she walked out of the kitchen, an empty food tray in hand, her eyes flickered again to the entrance, unbidden. And just as she looked away, a familiar, coruscant pattern of crimson and midnight black entered her vision. 

A flutter went through her stomach as the doors swung open, her heart picking up in excitement. Her hands quickly went to her apron, straightening it and smoothing the crinkles, before she went to intercept Jack, a smile on her face. 

A flicker of annoyance stirred in her chest when she noticed the man walking next to Jack, but she smothered it before it could dim the smile on her face. Unfortunate, but she could work with this. 

“Jack! What a pleasant surprise!” 

She took a closer look at his beautiful soul, that otherworldly pattern never ceasing to fascinate her. There was a subtle change in the color and the shine, a clear sign of his growth, but it could still get better. So much better and so much more beautiful. 

His gaze found her after a moment of searching, a smile lighting up his face. “Syr. It’s good to see you again,” he said, slowing down as they met next to the counter, his new friend watching them curiously. 

“It’s been a while.” She hugged the empty food tray closer to her chest, a teasing smile playing on her lips. “I was starting to think that you might have forgotten about me.” 

Jack shook his head, his roguish smile widening the tiniest bit at her coy act. “Like I’d ever forget such a beautiful face.” 

A thrill went through her chest, her face warming with a flash of heat. For a moment, she couldn’t meet his eyes, the loud din of the room filling the pause between them as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. 

She’d heard that compliment a thousand times before, but the way he said it made it different. 

“Then I hope it wasn’t about the food,” she said after a moment, that teasing note returning to her voice. “It would be a shame to lose a patron, so feel free to voice any complaints you may have.” 

“A patron?” Jack quirked an amused brow. “Is that all I am to you?” 

“Depends.” She leaned forward a bit, shifting the tray just enough to have it push her chest higher as she looked up at his broad form, batting her lashes playfully. “Are you going to treat me to dinner tonight? I’ve missed you these past few days, and I’d love to hear about your recent adventures.” 

For a heartbeat, Jack simply stared at her, and she pushed aside the urge to smirk as he paused, a flicker of hesitation crossing his face. 

Perhaps in a century or two he might stand a chance to win one of these little games. 

“There’s not that much to say, but aren’t you on your shift right now?” 

“Well,” she pressed a finger playfully to her cheek, a flash of mischief curling her lips. “I happen to have a break lining up, so don’t worry about me.” 

Jack considered it for a moment, lips slightly pursing as his eyes flickered to his new friend. “You don’t mind if she joins us, right?” 

Her eyes narrowed a fraction as the man shook his head with a smile. 

“Of course not, brother.” 

And why would that matter even if he did? 

Jack nodded with a matching smile, his gaze roaming briefly across the room before settling back upon her. “Then let’s move to a table.” 

“Any preference?” She threw a glance across the busy room, quickly spotting a couple empty tables. 

“I’ll leave it to you.” 

The more secluded one, then. 

“Before that, though,” she said, taking a closer look at the bronze-skinned and barely dressed man standing next to Jack. A typical child of Ganesha. “I see you’ve brought a friend.” 

“Yeah, we’ve met a few days ago in the dungeon.” 

She nodded along, her lips curling fondly as glimpses of that heart pounding moment surfaced to mind. She could only hope that he’d show her more such fierce struggles soon. 

“And I take it that you’ve formed a party together?” 

“We did,” the Ganesha child said, sharing a grin with Jack before giving her a curt yet polite nod. “Pleased to meet you, Miss. I’m Ravi.” 

She regarded the broad man for a moment, brow rising a fraction. Perhaps this one wasn’t too much of a lost cause? 

“Syr is fine,” she said, smiling politely. “A friend of Jack’s is a friend of mine.” For now. 

As those words hung in the air, she ditched the now-useless food tray on the counter and spun around, sending Jack an inviting smile over her shoulder and motioning him to follow. After less than a few steps though, she caught sight of her former child across the room, standing in the kitchen’s door like a grim sentinel, arms crossed and watching her closely, a frown lining her stern face. 

Not breaking her stride, Syr met the woman’s narrowed gaze with a cheeky, knowing smile and brief shake of the head. The silent exchange ended after a moment as Mia gave a barely-there nod before disappearing inside the kitchen. 

Syr kept walking, her smile a little wider. That should take care of everything. 

“She’s a nice girl, brother. Great catch.” 

Her mouth twitched with suppressed mirth as a hushed voice reached her ears from behind. 

If only he knew. 

“Yeah, but I’m not sure who caught who.” 

This time, she had to bite her lip to hold back the peal of laughter threatening to spill. If only they knew. 

“Isn’t it obvious?” 

She slowed down, paying closer attention to their talk, but instead of answering, Jack went quiet, the curiosity lingering inside her like an ember that refused to fully burn out. 

After a few more steps, his voice reached her ears again. 

“Has chicken always been this expensive?” 

“Yeah, you haven’t noticed?” 

She glanced briefly over her shoulder, a spark of amusement bubbling in her chest as she saw Jack lingering behind, staring intently at the wall-mounted menu. 

Poultry must be a common commodity in his world. 

She let the question hang in the air, ignoring the lingering gazes from nearby patrons as she led Jack and his companion to their table. 

“It has,” she finally spoke as she took the seat across from Jack, hands resting on her lap and a teasing curl to her lips. “Pork is the cheapest option if you’re worried about spending too much.” 

“No, it’s fine,” he said with a shake of his head. “I’m not counting every coin anymore. I even bought something nice for myself today.” 

Oh? A spark of curiosity flickered inside her. 

“You finally got that hammer you told me about, brother?” the Ganesha child spoke up from next to Jack, an eager grin on his face. 

A hammer? That could suit him, yes, but he’d been doing wonderful work with those rough, calloused hands so far. A weapon might take away that charm. 

“Not yet,” Jack said with another shake of his head, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. “I’ll show you tomorrow.” 

Such a tease. 

“I’ll hold you to that.” 

A scraping noise briefly covered the din of the room as Jack pulled his chair closer to the table, making himself comfortable, hands folded on the table. 

Her gaze lingered on his thick, bare arms, her mind wandering for a heartbeat as she imagined the feel of those rippling muscles enveloping her in a tight embrace. She banished the thought just as quickly as it came, squeezing her thighs together as a tingling warmth stirred deep inside her belly. 

Ah, Jack… 

“I take it the dungeon delving is going well?” 

Her hands shifted on her lap, slowly, oh so close to that itching place at the junction of her thighs, before she moved them away, the rough, cool surface of the table taking her mind away from that aching need, if only briefly. 

If only he knew how much she was holding herself back for his sake. 

“Yeah,” Jack said, lips quirked in that roguish smirk that stoked the smoldering embers within her. “It’s been going smoothly for the past few days.” 

A little too smoothly. For a man with such loftier goals, he ought to challenge himself again soon. It wouldn’t do to have him fall complacent like most of the dull souls filling this city. 

“We’re making good money for just a two-man team.” Ravi added with a smile. “Goes to show how great we are.” 

“Sounds like you might have a story or two to tell.” 

She leaned forward, arms propped on the table as she watched Jack with a smile. She already knew, but she would enjoy listening to him just as much. 

“Not that much, I’m afraid,” he said, “I got caught up in my work these past few days, so unless you want to hear about how I’ve been mixing and matching a bunch of herbs and stuff?” He shrugged, flashing her a lopsided smile, to which she arched an amused brow. 

Playing coy now? How cute. 

“Is that why it took you a while to drop by again?” Almost two weeks. He’d better not make her wait that long again. 

“Yeah, it kinda slipped my mind. Sorry,” Jack said, and her smile waned, the longing warmth inside her curdling into something sour at that half-truth. 

Was his work more important than her? 

“How about that time we met, brother?” The Ganesha child slapped a meaty hand on the table, grinning in excitement. “That should be worthy of a tale.” 

She nodded along. Yes, that would do well for an apology. 

“Yeah, that was pretty cool,” he paused, his eyes briefly flickering towards her. “But is it really a story to tell before a meal?” 

“Don’t see why not.” Ravi shrugged, earning himself a flat look from Jack. 

She blinked, her lips parting in quiet realization before curling into a smile. Ah. So, that’s how it was. How sweet. 

Enough to forgive him early, she supposed. 

“I don’t mind,” she said, watching Jack expectantly as he leaned back in his seat with a resigned sigh. 

As endearing as it was, he shouldn’t worry about her. She wasn’t some faint-hearted maiden. Or perhaps… she’d read too deeply into it, and he was simply not the braggart sort? 

“You heard the miss. She has a taste for the thrilling epics,” the bronze-skinned man said, giving Jack a friendly pat on the leg as her smile widened a fraction. 

If only he knew. 

“Alright then. A quick story to make the meal taste better,” Jack said wryly, only to go quiet after a moment as something seemed to catch his eye. 

She followed his gaze, another flash of mirth suffusing her chest as she saw the stone-faced Ryū, silently approaching from across the room, turning heads as she passed by each table. 

“I can start from when I heard that scream, and you can pick up from when we met— 

“Good evening.” A measured voice cut through the cozy atmosphere like a knife as Ryū stopped next to their table, her narrowed, blue eyes dissecting the Ganesha child before lingering on Jack. “May I take your order?” 

The bronze-skinned man took one look at Ryū and fell silent, instantly smitten. 

Syr brought a hand to her mouth, suppressing a peal of laughter. She’d expected him to stare, but not to this extent. He must fancy elves quite fiercely. 

A moment later, Ryū’s intent gaze finally shifted to her, the silent question in the elf’s eyes drawing an amusing parallel to Jack. 

Cute, but they’d already talked about this. She worried a bit too much, too. 

With a brief, barely-there shake of the head, Syr took the lead before the quiet could turn awkward. She quickly gave her order, then waited for the boys. Jack took a while to decide, torn between his roasted chicken and everything else, but his friend took even longer, his gaze never straying away from Ryū during the entire time. 

As Ryū turned around to leave, the Ganesha child slapped his palm atop the table, his voice rising slightly above the din of the room. “We can also tell her about today, and how we’ve exterminated the whole ninth floor.” 

An amused breath escaped Syr, her gaze flickering to her departing friend, then back to her newest admirer. 

Poor man. The odds were severely against his favor. 

“I don’t think that would make for a riveting tale,” Jack said dryly, his gaze flickering to her as she found herself nodding in agreement. Quite an impressive fight for their level, yes, but not as exhilarating. He had outgrown those silly ants. 

“Don’t forget about how I valiantly kept those Killer Ants busy while you slaughtered the monsters one after anotha’.” 

Jack cocked an eyebrow at his friend, a teasing smirk on his face. “You mean how you almost got eaten before I saved your ass?” 

“There were three of ‘em, and I’d lost my weapon and shield,” Ravi said with a good-natured huff, gaze flickering again in Ryū’s direction, just as she’d disappeared inside the kitchen. 

“Yeah,” Jack chuckled. “If it was anyone else, they would’ve been ant food by then.” 

“For sure, brotha. But don’t sell yourself short either. Had it been anyone else, I don’t think we would’ve won that fight.” 

“Maybe.” Jack shrugged, and she held back a scoff. 

Modesty had its charm, but he should take full glory for his impressive deeds. 

“Maybe?” Ravi said, brows climbing in incredulity. “If you didn’t hit your bullseye on that moth, we would’ve had to run.” 

“True.” 

The Ganesha child leaned back in his seat with shake of his head, eyes unfocused as if remembering that moment. “You should’ve seen it.” His gaze shifted to her. “He’s got an eye to put them archers to shame.” 

Oh, she had seen plenty, but he made it sound she might have missed some. 

“Well,” Jack turned to his friend, a thin smile on his lips. “If you like my throwing skills so much, I just bought a full set of throwing daggers. We can test it on the tenth floor tomorrow.” 

A pleased smile came to her face at the news. Good. He’d been long ready for that. He ought to be pushing deeper instead of wasting his time on what amounted to pest control. 

“Great idea, brother.” 

“Throwing knives?” she chimed in, a curious lilt in her tone as she sought Jack’s gaze, her lips quirked teasingly. “I didn’t know you were such a marksman.” 

“Turns out I have a knack for hitting things with sharp objects,” he said nonchalantly, drawing another incredulous stare from his companion. 

“If that’s a simple knack, I’ll eat my damn scarf.” 

She leaned forward in her seat, brows arched faintly. Was it truly that impressive?” 

Ravi nodded firmly. “Whenever he throws something, things die. It’s like magic with knives.” 

Such high praise. Perhaps it was time to see it with her own eyes. 

“E-rank Dexterity.” Jack shrugged, covering the half-truth with an innocent smile. “I have good hand eye coordination.” 

She nodded along, a flicker of amusement bubbling in her chest. A simple glance at his fascinating soul told her that it was more than that. “Perhaps it’s more than that. You do have a keen eye for certain things.” 

“Not as keen as yours,” he said with a smile, the quip piercing like an arrow through her heart. 

A flash of delight bloomed on her face, though she couldn’t help but briefly avert her gaze as a rush of heat rose all the way up to her ears. 

What a compliment. 

“Why, thank you,” she said, buying herself another moment to steady her thrumming pulse. She breathed in slowly, squeezing her thighs together a little tighter as she bit the inside of her lip. Ah, my dear Jack. “But would you mind giving us a showing?” 

“A showing?” he repeated, brow rising a fraction. “Right now?” 

She nodded, a bit more eagerly than she intended. “All this talk about about your throwing skills made me quite curious. You wouldn’t be so cruel to leave me wanting, would you?” 

A beat of silence passed around the table as she waited for an answer, the anticipation coiling tightly in her belly like a hungry snake. She smiled playfully, her fingers ghosting dangerously close to that throbbing itch before she rested her hands on her knees, watching Jack expectantly. 

Jack swept his gaze across the room, a fleeting, conflicted flicker of emotion crossing his face. 

“You heard her, brother. You can’t refuse,” Ravi chimed in with a grin, earning a brief glare from Jack before a deceptively pleasant smile settled on his lips. 

“Alright,” Jack said, tapping his hand on the table as his smile took on a mischievous edge. “How do you feel about being target practice for this one?” 

The words hung in the air barely a heartbeat before the Ganesha child nodded with a grin. “I trust you with my life, brother.” 

Oh my. Not a single breath of deceit in his words. What a bond. 

A pleased smile pulled at her lips as the two men quickly rose to their feet, the sound of scraping wood briefly washing over the table. 

This evening was about to get even better. 

“That’s the spirit. Now give me your bandanna.” 

Ravi paused next to the table, blinking owlishly. “What for?” 

“You’ll see.” Jack said, a mysterious smile playing on his lips while the Ganesha child pulled off his head scarf. 

She watched in curiosity as Jack snatched the cloth with a theatric flourish, stuffing it inside a pocket, his gaze flickering towards her. 

“Anything in particular you’d like to see?” 

She brought a finger to her lips, pretending to think about it for a moment as her lips curled flirtatiously. “Surprise me.” 

He said nothing in return, but the half smirk at the corner of his mouth and the brief gleam that flickered across his eyes twisted that eager coil within her stomach even tighter. 

With that quiet promise settling between them, Jack glanced back at his companion, pointing with a thumb to his left. “Go stay next to that wall and look over here.” 

“Got it, brudda.” 

Ravi complied without question, drawing a couple odd glances from the other tables as he moved in front of that wall and stood there like an eager, oversized puppy. 

Meanwhile, Jack kept looking around the room, as if in search for something. 

“Missing something?” She arched a curious brow, getting a brief nod in return. 

“Think you could get me an apple?” 

She blinked at the request before a smile slowly stretched on her lips. Ah. Going for a classic, was he? 

“Maybe,” she said cheekily while Jack shook his head with an amused huff. He might be resistant to her teasing, but he had some chinks in that armor. She just had to keep trying. 

Her eyes flickered towards the kitchen, right in time to see Anya as she walked out, a tray full of assorted fruit in her hands. 

Wonderful timing. 

She waited a few moments for the girl to cross the room, and, as Anya passed by, she quickly snatched an apple from the tray, her friend halting mid-step like a startled cat. 

“Hey! That’s for the paying customers!” 

Hiding the apple behind her back, Syr smiled playfully at her friend’s mock-affronted glare, her tongue poking out. “I’m a customer, too, aren’t I?” 

They had a brief staring match, before Anya relented with a good-natured huff. Syr gave that apple a quick, meaningful shake, her smile widening as she felt Jack’s warm fingers brush her skin, snatching the fruit from her hand. 

“Thanks.” 

A tingle danced up her spine as Jack’s hushed whisper caressed her ears like a sweet note, and she watched him from the corner of her eyes as he circled around the table. 

Anya’s catlike gaze flickered to Jack and his friend, her lips slightly pursing. “What’s going on here anyway? Mia’ll get angry if they make a ruckus.” 

Perhaps. But it would be worth it. 

“Don’t worry,” Syr shook her head with an innocent smile. “It’s just a little harmless fun.” 

“If you say so— 

“Catch!” 

From the corner of her eye, she saw Jack throw the apple at his friend, who snatched it deftly from mid-air. 

“Put it on your head and don’t move,” Jack spoke again after a moment, more people from the nearby tables now openly staring at them. 

Syr turned back to Anya, meeting the cat-girl’s dry look with another innocent smile. “See? Just as I said.” 

Anya’s brows rose up her forehead as she watched Jack take a few steps back before pulling out that scarf and unfolding it with a dramatic flourish. “Are they doing what I think they’re doing?” 

“They are.” 

An eager smile pulled at Syr’s lips as Jack wrapped that piece of cloth around his face like a blindfold. 

“Oh meow.” 

How bold. A single mistake could turn this whole affair unpleasant, but she had faith in him. That small, confident smile on Jack’s lips as he unsheathed a dagger from his hip was enough for her. 

“This doesn’t look very harmless to meow,” Anya said, and Syr could only suppress a sigh. This girl had not seen what she saw. Of course she would doubt. 

“It’ll be fine,” Syr spoke as she watched Jack flip the knife a few times, as if testing its weight. 

“I know that you fancy him, but this could get pretty ugly.” 

“Just watch and see for yourself.” 

For a moment, Anya worked her jaw silently, the ghost of a frown pulling at her lips, but in the end, she simply relented with a sigh. “If you say so…” 

“Ey, check this out!” 

A reedy voice came from the nearby table, an older man elbowing the one sitting next to him. 

“We gettin’ a show with the ale and food?” A gruff voice followed, drawing a round of chuckles. 

“A hundred on the big one losin’ an ear.” Another man chimed in before the sound of coins rattling on wood briefly rose above the din of the room. 

“Five hundred says it’s an eye.” 

Syr couldn’t hold back a scoff. So little faith. 

“If his status ain’t as shit as yers, he’s gunna dodge.” 

Another round of chuckles followed, accompanied by a meaty smack of a hand on the table. 

“Piss off, Jerek.” 

She ignored the rest of the inane chatter, watching in anticipation as Jack balanced the knife on a finger, nearly dropping it for an instant before catching it with a flick of the wrist. 

“Well,” Anya said as her eyes lingered on the Ganesha child. “That guy’s pretty brave standing there like that.” 

Or foolish. 

“Or foolish.” 

Syr’s lips twitched in amusement as a soft, familiar voice reached her ears. Poor man. The apple of his eye didn’t think too highly of him, it seemed. 

Anya’s gaze flickered to the side at the approaching elf, a dainty brow arched. “Came to watch, too?” 

“I was simply passing by,” Ryū spoke as she continued walking to their table, placing down three filled mugs before walking away. 

Syr’s eyes lingered on her friend’s back, a quiet sigh escaping her. This girl should be more honest with herself. 

“Should I fetch the bandages just in case?” 

“You’ll miss the show,” Syr spoke, not bothering to look at Anya as she watched Jack take a few more steps, putting himself a respectable distance away from the target. 

The din of the room suddenly grew quieter as he turned around, smirk growing the tiniest bit wider. He gave his knife another flip, and just as he caught it by the handle, he spun around, launching it at the wall with a flick of the wrist. 

A sudden splitting sound and the dull thunk of metal on wood quieted the room even further as the dagger sank deeply into the wall, two halves of the apple, split perfectly down the middle, rolling down Ravi’s head and falling to the floor. 

A quiet whistle came from one of the nearby tables, followed by a wave of chatter that washed over her ears like water on rock. 

“Oh wow,” Anya said, voice a little quieter. “I take back what I said.” 

Syr barely acknowledged the comment with a faint, knowing smirk, not taking her eyes away from Jack even for a single moment. The excitement coiled in her stomach tightly enough that she had to bite her lip to hold back a giggle. 

Oh, he wasn’t done yet. 

Before the rest of the room could recover from the surprise, Jack pulled out another dagger, flipping it once in his hand as he looked to the side. She could feel his intense gaze despite the blindfold, that roguish smirk on his lips sending a pleasant flutter through her chest. 

“Here comes the real show.” 

Ah, Jack… So bold. 

“Watch closely.” 

Not trusting her voice for a heartbeat, she simply nodded, ignoring the curious gazes of the other patrons as she pressed her thighs together, the warmth that kept pooling in her belly making that distracting itch almost unbearable. 

Slowly, Jack drew out the rest of the knives, holding them in one hand like a fan as he pointed dramatically with the other towards his friend. 

“C’mon, Ravi! Give me a cool pose!” 

Grinning, the bronze-skinned man spread his legs apart, one arm shooting out to the side while he kept the other hand in front of his face, fingers splayed. He leaned back and slightly to the side, muscles bulging as he flexed in that strange pose while Jack gave one of his knives another flip. 

A heartbeat later, he caught the knife by the edge, and then, with one smooth flick of the wrist, threw it at his friend. 

A dull thud sounded across the room as the dagger sank into the hardwood, less than a celch away from the man’s left shoulder. 

Jack didn’t stop there. 

Syr watched with bated breath as two more knives spun wildly through the air, all the way up to the ceiling, the last two following after another moment. 

Jack snatched the first two daggers on their way down, flicking them at his target just as the other two returned from their upwards arc. 

Left thigh, celches away. 

Between the legs, the sharp edge clipping the loincloth. 

The last two knives sailed through the air one after the other, a staccato sound filling the room as they struck true. 

Right thigh, almost touching the skin. 

Right shoulder, a hairsbreadth away. 

She let out a breath she didn’t know had been holding, a pleasant thrill trailing down her spine. Her lips parted, words on the tip of her tongue, only to pause as something caught her eye. 

The Ganesha child stood there like a smiling statue, all six daggers outlining a perfect star pattern around his body. 

Oh my. 

She bit her lip, smothering the sudden urge to drown Jack in her Charm. Not yet. Not yet. He’d made a vow, and she made one of her own, even if only in the privacy of her own mind. It would taste much sweeter if she let these feelings further bloom. And he had much more thrills to show her before she let the curtain fall. 

Jack… 

Breathing in slowly, she swept her gaze around the room, the smile refusing to leave her lips. 

The whole place had gone deathly quiet, most of the occupants staring at Jack and the wall, wide-eyed. She bit her lip, barely holding back the peal of laughter bubbling in her chest at the sight. 

Magnificent. 

She could see a few skeptical faces among the disbelieving and the dumbstruck, yet even those, for the wrong reasons. 

This was a feat far beyond E-rank Dexterity. Unless he’d trained his whole life for this performance, only one thing came to mind. 

A mere accuracy skill? She barely held back a scoff. That would be too simple. Far too simple. An otherworldly soul like him must have a skill to match. 

“What the fuck.” 

One, crass whisper from somewhere behind finally pierced the silence, and the entire place exploded with loud chatter. 

“That was something.” 

“Reminds me of a circus show I’d seen once.” 

“The Ganesha folks sure know how to entertain.” 

“Is that cloth thick enough?” 

“You’re free to try it yourself, man.” 

There were a few chuckles, followed by a loud scoff. 

“Big deal. High Dexterity makes it easy.” 

“Yeah, but isn’t that guy a level one?” 

“Mighty cocky for a level one, if so.” 

“Like you weren’t the same at his age.” 

“Shut up, Jerek.” 

Another round of chuckles followed, and then, the clank of a mug smacking against a table briefly rose above the din of the room 

“High Dexterity or a skill, who the fuck cares? My mug’s empty.” 

“Aye. Another round, missy!” 

“Coming right up!” Anya’s chipper voice filled Syr’s ears as the girl took one last look at the Ganesha child before rushing across the room, heading for the kegs behind the counter. 

How cute. 

Syr tuned out the chatter, her gaze lingering on Jack as he went to collect his daggers. He shared a grin with his friend, before Ravi walked away as Jack pulled the knives out of the wall one by one, sheathing them back at his hip. 

Her feet slowly took her towards him, only to halt after a few steps, when she caught sight of an approaching Ryū, nimbly carrying three plates of food as she headed for their table. 

The Ganesha child stood a little straighter in his seat as soon as he saw the elf, briefly hesitating, before mustering his courage as Ryū moved to set the plates down. 

A flicker of mirth pulled at Syr’s lips as she watched the brief exchange between those two, which ended with the man’s shoulders slightly drooping as the elf turned around and departed as swiftly as she arrived. 

Poor Ryū, punishing herself even after all these years. Perhaps more time would fully heal that scar on her soul and return its brilliant luster. 

<<scene break>> 

Placing the fork on my plate, I drained the last of my apple cider from the mug before leaning back in my seat with a content sigh. This roasted chicken and potatoes might cost me more than a healing potion, but it really hit that spot. 

Ravi sat next to me, poking idly at his half-eaten steak, the ghost of a frown pulling at his face. I could understand him, a stone-cold rejection from a cute elf did things to a guy, but if he kept moping like this, I’d have to do something. It was the bro code. 

I covered a jaw-popping yawn, taking another glance at the still empty seat across the table and the half-eaten food on the plate, which had likely gone cold by now. 

Syr had barely taken a few bites out of her food before excusing herself and leaving to gods knew where. She’d said something about “freshening up”, but one could never know with Freya. It might be code for “I’mma pull a fast one on your ass, tee-hee~”. 

I really hoped she wouldn’t, though. I might have screwed up a little by taking so long to visit after that date, but I’d just pulled a Hollywood-worthy stunt for her in front of the whole pub. That had to count for something. 

My gaze went back to the empty mug, and, just as I briefly entertained the thought to go and grab another drink myself, a chipper voice came from my left. 

“Here’s the drinks. Sorry for the wait, we had to crack open a new barrel.” 

The brunette catgirl—Anya something—stopped at our table, sliding a mug full of delicious-looking cider in front of me and another one full of ale in front of Ravi. Her amber eyes lingered on him yet again as she left, but the dumbass didn’t even notice. 

A beat of silence passed as I watched him keep staring off into space, before I pushed a breath through my nose. That’s it. 

“Say, what do you think about the cat-girl waitress that just left?” 

Ravi finally looked up from his plate, brows slightly furrowed. “She’s cute, but I don’t know.” He gave a half shrug. “She’d probably turn me down, too.” 

“Don’t be so sure, man.” I shook my head, flashing him an encouraging smile. “Have you seen the way she keeps looking at you?” 

“Wait.” He blinked owlishly. “She’s been looking at me?” 

“Yeah,” I said, smile widening. “I bet she likes you.” 

Ravi eyed me skeptically for a moment, mouth drawing a thin line. “Are you sure?” 

“Trust me, brother, she’s interested. Go talk to her. You’ve got nothing to lose.” 

Despite that, he still hesitated, so I gestured with my chin up ahead, subtly pointing a thumb at the front of the pub, where Anya was busy sweeping a spot on the floor. 

Ravi went quiet, staring at the table for a while. “You’re right,” he suddenly spoke, his chair scraping on the floor as he rose up, smile back on his face. 

“Go get her, bro.” 

A beat of silence passed as Ravi just stood there, his gaze meeting mine for a brief but meaningful moment. “Thanks, brother.” And with that, he turned around and left, head held up and steps assured. 

Go forth, soldier, and conquer that pussy. 

A proud smile settled on my face as I watched him for a little longer before turning to my drink. Just as I took a sip, a playful voice came from behind, and, as I lowered the mug, I saw Syr walking around the table, a teasing smile playing on her lips. 

“I’m back,” she spoke as she took her seat, her intense, almost hungry gaze sending a brief shiver up my spine. “I hope you didn’t miss me too much.” 

“I don’t know,” I said, flashing her a teasing smirk of my own. “Maybe a little.” 

Her dainty brows rose a fraction, grey eyes alight with mischief. “Only a little?” 

I could only guess what was going through her head, but I wasn’t going to back down either way. 

“You weren’t gone that long, and now I have you back for the rest of the evening.” 

The cheesy words lingered in the air, and despite the unwavering smile on her face, I didn’t miss the faint tinge of red that colored her ears. 

Nailed it. 

“Oh?” Syr’s voice came out almost a purr as she leaned a little closer to the table, her lashes fluttering seductively. “Not the whole night?” 

I paused, my thoughts coming to a stuttering halt and vanishing like smoke as I lost myself in her gaze for a heartbeat. Something tugged at the fringes of my mind, like a pair of warm hands, seeking to gently pull me closer. 

Was she always this beautiful? 

I swallowed, mouth suddenly dry, that question hanging between us like a temptingly sweet promise. My eyes flickered down to her slightly parted, soft lips, lingering there before I blinked, and suddenly, it felt as if a spell had just unraveled. 

I leaned back in my seat, covering the lapse with a quick sip of my drink as I stared at the temptress across from me. 

What the fuck was that? Did I drink too much? Did her Charm slip out a little? Was I just too down bad to control myself? 

I covered the lapse with a quick sip of my drink as a brief, indecipherable look flitted across Syr’s face. 

“I don’t know,” I said after a moment, pushing a nonchalant note in my tone. “I have to wake up pretty early tomorrow.” 

“Oh?” Her voice lilted in amusement, that flicker of mischief returning to her eyes. “I promise I won’t tire you out that much.” 

“I’m more worried about your beauty sleep,” I said with a smirk, and she leaned back in her seat with a quiet, overly dramatic gasp.  

“Oh my.” She covered her mouth with a hand as if scandalized, despite the corners of her lips pulling the tiniest bit further apart. “Then maybe I should think twice about it.” 

This vixen… 

“You should. I’d rather not have a sleepless night ruin that pretty face of yours.” 

“I had no idea you worried so much about me.” 

“This place would be duller without my favorite waitress.” 

“Truly?” 

“Mm-hmm.” 

Syr went quiet as she shifted slightly in her seat, another smoldering gleam flickering in her eyes before vanishing just as quickly. 

A shiver crawled up my spine, despite the easy-going smirk on my face. Holy fuck, I was playing with fire here, but what other choice did I have? There was absolutely no winning move with Freya until I could solo Ottar or prove that I was her special. 

The silence stretched on for a moment longer as Syr picked up her own mug and took a sip, her rosy lips curling around the rim. 

“You said something about working on potions?” she said, her tongue briefly poking out to lick along her lips. 

“You’re interested in alchemy?” I said, brows slightly arched at the sudden change in topic. 

“Maybe,” she said, propping her elbows on the table, fingers threaded together as she rested her chin on her hands, lips quirking flirtatiously. “Or maybe I just want to hear more about you.” 

The sight of her, just sitting there invitingly, tempted me like a flame to a moth, but I was stubborn enough to keep resisting. 

“Well, I’m trying to come up with a new potion, and I’m so close to a breakthrough,” I told her with a smirk, holding up my thumb and index a hairsbreadth apart. 

Syr let out a curious sound, her brows rising ever so slightly. “What kind of potion?” 

I let the question hang while I took a slow sip from my drink before shaking my head. 

“It’s a secret.” I wasn’t spoiling the surprise ahead of time for anyone, goddess or not. “You’ll see when it’s ready.” 

She blinked owlishly, a beat of silence passing before she pressed her lips with a quiet huff, like a child denied their favorite dessert. 

“Fine. Keep your secrets.” 

A flash of mirth bubbled in my chest as I burned that sulky expression into memory. It was easy to forget who sat across from me when she acted like this. 

“But I hope you haven’t been playing with fire like that time when we’d first met,” she added after a moment, that faint, teasing curl returning to her lips as an amused huff escaped me. 

I was never going to live down that moment, was I? 

“No, I’ve been waiting to learn how to make potions, so I can patch myself up.” 

“That’s not funny, Jack.” She was smiling, though. 

She went quiet after that, her gaze never leaving mine as a brief, indiscernible flicker of emotion crossed her face. 

“Do you like magic that much?” 

“Since I first learned about it,” I answered without thinking much. “Maybe it’s just a childish dream, but I’ve always imagined a day when I could wield magic for myself.” 

I really hoped that day would come soon. My Magic stat was lagging behind like hell. 

“I don’t think it’s childish at all,” Syr spoke after a moment, her smile turning cryptic. “And who knows, maybe one day you’ll get to.” 

“That’d be great,” I said, covering the knowing smile on my lips as I took another sip of my cider, savoring the taste. 

Sweet and sour, with a deceptively mild, fizzy bite. Just like Freya’s promise. 

Or so I hoped. 

She’d better not tease me like this without delivering, or I was going to spank all that brattiness out of this goddess if I ever got my hands on that fat ass.

_________________________________________________________________________

Author’s Note: I had fun writing that wild Aiz encounter. But not as much fun as the Hostess scene. Freya is cray-cray as usual, but amusingly enough, she’s Jack’s biggest hype woman. Maybe Jack can handle her without ending up with the whole city getting mindfucked :V 

P.S: Where do you think Syr vanished off to after that knife stunt?